In this Sunday, June 3, 2012 photo, Connecticut Speaker of the House Chris Donovan addresses reporters outside his campaign headquarters in Meriden, Conn., Donovan denied that he did anything wrong as federal investigators look into his congressional campaign's finances. Robert Braddock Jr., Donovan's finance director, was recently arrested by federal authorities and accused of conspiring to hide the source of $20,000 in campaign contributions. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)
Photo: Jessica Hill, Associated Press

In this Sunday, June 3, 2012 photo, Connecticut Speaker of the...

Robert Braddock with his lawyer Frank Riccio II outside the courthouse in New Haven, Conn. on after the conviction on Tuesday, May 21, 2013. Riccio said he will prepare for Aug 13 sentencing and decide on whether to appeal.
Photo: Michael P. Mayko

Robert Braddock with his lawyer Frank Riccio II outside the courthouse in New Haven, Conn. on after the conviction on Tuesday, May 21, 2013. Riccio said he will prepare for Aug 13 sentencing and decide on whether to appeal.
Photo: Michael P. Mayko

Robert Braddock with his lawyer Frank Riccio II outside the courthouse in New Haven, Conn. on after the conviction on Tuesday, May 21, 2013. Riccio said he will prepare for Aug 13 sentencing and decide on whether to appeal.
Photo: Michael P. Mayko

NEW HAVEN -- A federal jury deliberated less than three hours Tuesday before convicting the finance director for former state Rep. Chris Donovan's ill-fated congressional campaign of all charges in relation to an influence peddling scheme.

The jury found Robert Braddock Jr. guilty of falsifying the names of contributors to cover up $27,500 in donations from roll-your-own tobacco shop owners to Donovan's campaign. The shop owners were trying to quash legislation that would have raised taxes on their business.

"The evidence disclosed during this trial revealed a disturbing scheme operated by individuals who believed that our federal campaign finance laws are meaningless, and that the legislative process can be easily corrupted with campaign contributions," Acting U.S. Attorney Deirdre M. Daly said in a statement after the verdict. "This case demonstrates exactly why our campaign finance laws exist in the first place, and why this system must be transparent. I thank the FBI for uncovering this scheme and their outstanding work during the course of this investigation. I am also proud of the efforts of our prosecution team."

The conviction of Braddock, a former U.S. Marine colonel who helped raise millions of dollars for Democratic candidates across the country, closes one chapter on a scandal that brought down the state's former speaker of the House. Braddock was the only one of eight charged in the wide-ranging case to go to trial. All of his co-defendants in the scheme -- including Donovan's ex-campaign manager Joshua Nassi, those connected with smoke shops, and the star witness in this trial, Ray Soucy -- pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

Braddock faces up to 12 years in prison when he is sentenced Aug. 13. His lawyer, Frank Riccio II, said he is considering an appeal.

For the past week, Braddock has been on trial before U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton for conspiring to violate federal election law by falsely reporting the names of campaign donors, aiding and abetting the false reports and filing a false report with the Federal Elections Commission.

In their closing arguments on Tuesday morning, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric Glover and Christopher Mattei focused on Braddock's attempt to hide donations from roll-your-own tobacco shop owners to Donovan's campaign.

The shop owners were hoping to buy Donovan's influence as the state speaker of the House in stifling a bill that would impose taxes and licensing fees on their lucrative shops during the 2012 legislative session. The speaker has the authority to call bills for a vote. This bill, however, died in the state Senate before being sent to the House of Representatives.

Donovan's bid to represent the 5th District in Congress ended in a Democratic primary defeat. That defeat was preceded by Braddock's arrest and that of campaign manager Nassi.

However, during the trial Donovan was heard on an FBI recording telling Soucy, who served as a middleman in delivering the roll-your-own donations to the Donovan campaign, that "I took care of you."

The former speaker also said "I didn't kill it ... I worked the legislative side."

Donovan, who was never charged with wrongdoing, loomed over the trial but never appeared in court. After seeing his reputation skewered during the past week, however, Donovan appeared outside the federal courthouse in New Haven on Tuesday to publicly deny any involvement.

"My vote was never for sale," Donovan said, reading from a prepared statement. "I was not involved in the Roll Your Own Conduit contributions."

He claimed his statements "I took care of you" statement "sounds bad" but was taken out of context.

"That's just the way we talk," he said. "When somebody wins, you say, `I took care of you.' When somebody loses, you say, `Sorry it didn't go your way.' "